Sirius Systems Technology
Encyclopedia
Sirius Systems Technology was a personal computer
manufacturer in Scotts Valley
, California
. It was founded in 1980 by Chuck Peddle
and Chris Fish, formerly of MOS Technology
and capitalized by Walter Kidde Inc.
In late 1982 Sirius acquired Victor Business Systems (known for its calculators and cash registers) from Kidde and changed its name to Victor Technologies
. It made the Victor/Sirius series of personal computers. The company made a public stock offering in the first half of 1983, but went into Chapter 11 protection from bankruptcy
before the end of 1984. The company's assets were acquired by Datatronic AB, a Swedish
software company headed by Mats Gabrielsson. Gabrielsson signed a distribution deal with Kyocera
, which began to supply PC
clones to Victor.
The Victor 9000 (distributed in the UK by British company Applied Computer Techniques
as the ACT Sirius 1, and in Australia by Barson Computers as the Sirius 1) was designed by Peddle—who had also designed the first Commodore PET
—and presented for the first time at the Systems show in Munich
, Germany
in late 1981. Chuck Peddle used two of his Commodore
contacts to set up two subsidiaries in continental Europe
. David Deane (France
) and Juergen Tepper (Germany
) were both ex-Mannesmann Tally
whom Chuck had met while negotiating an OEM
deal for printers. The Victor 9000/Sirius 1 ran CP/M-86
and MS-DOS
but was not a PC clone
. It offered a higher resolution screen and 600K/1.2MB floppy drives. The Victor 9000 met with significant success in Europe, as IBM delayed the European launch of its PC for 18 months giving time for the Sirius to build up a commanding lead for a short time. ACT outsold the Sirius/Victor subsidiaries and also led the way in proving that application software was the key to sales. Most sales across Europe went through small systems houses rather than computer shops.
One striking difference between the Victor 9000 and other machines on the market at the time was the fact that the disc spun at different speeds according to where the data was stored, running faster towards the outer edge of the disc in such a way that bit density (bits per cm passing the head), rather than rotational speed, was approximately constant. This allowed standard floppy disks to hold a great deal more data than others at the time, 600kB on single- and 1.2MB on double-sided floppies compared with 140-160kB per side of other machines such as the Apple ][
and early IBM PC, but disks made at constant bit density were not compatible with machines with standard drives. The Victor 9000's 800x400 resolution screen, 896kB of memory (RAM), programmable keyboard and character set were also far ahead of the competition, but the single largest thing that the Victor 9000 had going for it was the largest software library, by far, of any similar computer of the day.
The Victor 9000 was also distributed in the UK under that name by DRG Business Machines in Weston super-Mare, who dealt with Victor Technologies in the US direct. It was not a particularly successful venture as ACT had already established a brand name and a loyal dealer base. The dealer and press launch was held in London and it was believed that several loyal ACT dealers tried to disrupt this launch. (source PR account manager for DRG Business machines )
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
manufacturer in Scotts Valley
Scotts Valley, California
Scotts Valley is a small city in Santa Cruz County, California, United States, about thirty miles south of downtown San Jose and six miles north of Monterey Bay, in the upland slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,580...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It was founded in 1980 by Chuck Peddle
Chuck Peddle
Charles Ingerham Peddle is an American electrical engineer best known as the main designer of the MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor; the KIM-1 SBC; and its successor the Commodore PET personal computer, both based on the 6502....
and Chris Fish, formerly of MOS Technology
MOS Technology
MOS Technology, Inc., also known as CSG , was a semiconductor design and fabrication company based in Norristown, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is most famous for its 6502 microprocessor, and various designs for Commodore International's range of home computers.-History:MOS Technology, Inc...
and capitalized by Walter Kidde Inc.
Kidde
Kidde, a brand and division of United Technologies Corporation, is a business, or group of businesses, that manufactures and distributes fire detection and extinguishing equipment.-History:The company was founded by Walter Kidde in 1917 in the United States...
In late 1982 Sirius acquired Victor Business Systems (known for its calculators and cash registers) from Kidde and changed its name to Victor Technologies
Victor Technology
Victor Technology LLC is a supplier of printing calculators, scientific calculators, financial calculators, basic calculators, and desktop accessories with headquarters in Bolingbrook, Illinois...
. It made the Victor/Sirius series of personal computers. The company made a public stock offering in the first half of 1983, but went into Chapter 11 protection from bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
before the end of 1984. The company's assets were acquired by Datatronic AB, a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
software company headed by Mats Gabrielsson. Gabrielsson signed a distribution deal with Kyocera
Kyocera
is a multinational manufacturer based in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded as in 1959 by Kazuo Inamori and renamed in 1982. The company has diversified its founding technology in ceramic materials through internal development as well as strategic mergers and acquisitions...
, which began to supply PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
clones to Victor.
The Victor 9000 (distributed in the UK by British company Applied Computer Techniques
Apricot Computers
Apricot Computers is a British manufacturer of business personal computers, originally founded in 1965 as "Applied Computer Techniques" , changing its name to Apricot Computers, Ltd. in the 1980s...
as the ACT Sirius 1, and in Australia by Barson Computers as the Sirius 1) was designed by Peddle—who had also designed the first Commodore PET
Commodore PET
The Commodore PET was a home/personal computer produced from 1977 by Commodore International...
—and presented for the first time at the Systems show in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in late 1981. Chuck Peddle used two of his Commodore
Commodore International
Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited...
contacts to set up two subsidiaries in continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. David Deane (France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) and Juergen Tepper (Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) were both ex-Mannesmann Tally
Tally Ltd
Tally was a leading American manufacturer of printers.Founded in 1949 in Kent, Washington, United States, the company was a leading manufacturer of punch tape readers...
whom Chuck had met while negotiating an OEM
Original Equipment Manufacturer
An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and retailed under that purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. When referring to automotive parts, OEM designates a...
deal for printers. The Victor 9000/Sirius 1 ran CP/M-86
CP/M
CP/M was a mass-market operating system created for Intel 8080/85 based microcomputers by Gary Kildall of Digital Research, Inc...
and MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
but was not a PC clone
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
. It offered a higher resolution screen and 600K/1.2MB floppy drives. The Victor 9000 met with significant success in Europe, as IBM delayed the European launch of its PC for 18 months giving time for the Sirius to build up a commanding lead for a short time. ACT outsold the Sirius/Victor subsidiaries and also led the way in proving that application software was the key to sales. Most sales across Europe went through small systems houses rather than computer shops.
One striking difference between the Victor 9000 and other machines on the market at the time was the fact that the disc spun at different speeds according to where the data was stored, running faster towards the outer edge of the disc in such a way that bit density (bits per cm passing the head), rather than rotational speed, was approximately constant. This allowed standard floppy disks to hold a great deal more data than others at the time, 600kB on single- and 1.2MB on double-sided floppies compared with 140-160kB per side of other machines such as the Apple ][
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
and early IBM PC, but disks made at constant bit density were not compatible with machines with standard drives. The Victor 9000's 800x400 resolution screen, 896kB of memory (RAM), programmable keyboard and character set were also far ahead of the competition, but the single largest thing that the Victor 9000 had going for it was the largest software library, by far, of any similar computer of the day.
The Victor 9000 was also distributed in the UK under that name by DRG Business Machines in Weston super-Mare, who dealt with Victor Technologies in the US direct. It was not a particularly successful venture as ACT had already established a brand name and a loyal dealer base. The dealer and press launch was held in London and it was believed that several loyal ACT dealers tried to disrupt this launch. (source PR account manager for DRG Business machines )